LETTER: Clearly visible, notably unsafe

Published: Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 5:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.

Two Sundays ago, when Ryan Lawson’s truck passed me on Highway 431, I muttered to myself, “Those kids are going to get themselves killed.” As the two vehicles grew smaller in the distance, I actually chided myself for being a grumpy old man, not knowing that I was watching what, for four of them, would be their last minutes of conscious life on earth.

From my distance behind them, the scene played out the size of your fist at arm’s length — a churning brown cloud billowing up from the median, the truck somersaulting within, debris and bodies scattering in every direction. The nightmarish scene that resulted has played through my mind over and over in the days since. I won’t assault you with details.

I know riding in the back of trucks is almost obligatory behavior for Southerners. I did it myself and don’t think it should be wholly outlawed. I also know seat belt and speeding laws are inconsistently followed and enforced, that “safe driving” is a relative term and that the law does not always absolutely correspond to nor result in safe practices.

But some actions are so clearly visible and so notably unsafe that we permit them at our own peril — like nine unrestrained kids in a truck doing 75 mph on an open highway.

Comparing observations at the scene, another witness shared something that hasn’t been noted in any articles I’ve read on the accident: minutes before, Lawson and his friends had driven right through the middle of downtown Guntersville, right by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, right by the Guntersville Police Department. Six miles of open highway later, two kids were dead, two more dying, five seriously injured, and numerous witnesses traumatized.

Had they been breaking or in danger of breaking the law, would the knowledge that they would pass two law departments alter their decision to load up the back of that truck? Or, more likely, would they have been spotted by authorities and stopped before making it to the highway?

I can’t say with certainty, but I think the mere possibility merits discussion.

<p>Two Sundays ago, when Ryan Lawson's truck passed me on Highway 431, I muttered to myself, “Those kids are going to get themselves killed.” As the two vehicles grew smaller in the distance, I actually chided myself for being a grumpy old man, not knowing that I was watching what, for four of them, would be their last minutes of conscious life on earth. </p><p>From my distance behind them, the scene played out the size of your fist at arm's length — a churning brown cloud billowing up from the median, the truck somersaulting within, debris and bodies scattering in every direction. The nightmarish scene that resulted has played through my mind over and over in the days since. I won't assault you with details.</p><p>I know riding in the back of trucks is almost obligatory behavior for Southerners. I did it myself and don't think it should be wholly outlawed. I also know seat belt and speeding laws are inconsistently followed and enforced, that “safe driving” is a relative term and that the law does not always absolutely correspond to nor result in safe practices. </p><p>But some actions are so clearly visible and so notably unsafe that we permit them at our own peril — like nine unrestrained kids in a truck doing 75 mph on an open highway.</p><p>Comparing observations at the scene, another witness shared something that hasn't been noted in any articles I've read on the accident: minutes before, Lawson and his friends had driven right through the middle of downtown Guntersville, right by the Marshall County Sheriff's Department, right by the Guntersville Police Department. Six miles of open highway later, two kids were dead, two more dying, five seriously injured, and numerous witnesses traumatized. </p><p>Had they been breaking or in danger of breaking the law, would the knowledge that they would pass two law departments alter their decision to load up the back of that truck? Or, more likely, would they have been spotted by authorities and stopped before making it to the highway?</p><p>I can't say with certainty, but I think the mere possibility merits discussion.</p><p>Chris Harrison</p><p>Gadsden</p>